Combined radiator cap and heater assembly

ABSTRACT

A combined radiator cap and heater assembly wherein the radiator cap comprises a top plate and a bottom plate separated by a resilient means, such as a spring which normally keeps the bottom plate biased away from the top plate. Power carrying electrical conductors pass through a ferrule in the top plate into a tubular means connected to the top plate. The tubular means has a flange thereon for movably securing the bottom plate thereto in a manner which enables the bottom plate to move longitudinally along said tubular means. A tube attached to the tubular means holds and extends a heater into the water in the radiator. The conductors pass through the tube to the heater.

United-States Patent 1191 ltaly 1. 219/208 II IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII"' Kucera[4 1 July 16, 1974 [54] MBI D DI CAP D TE 1,028,259 2/1953 France219/313 ASSEMBLY 368,915 2/1923 Germany....

372,713 3/1923 Germany 219/335 [76] Inventor: Joseph A. Kucera, 18720Parkview Brookfield 53005 Primary Exan1iner--A. Bartis [22] Filed: June9, 1972 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Alter, Weiss, Whitesel & 21 Appl. 190.;261,545 Laff 52 us. c1, 219/208, 123/142.5 E, 219/336, [571 ABSTRACT219/523, 220/24 C A combined radiator cap and heater assembly wherein[51] Int. Cl H05b 3/78, F02n 17/06 the radiator cap comprises a topplate and a bottom Field of Search plate separated by a resilient means,such as a spring 219/316, 318, 335, 336, 523, 526, 536, 542; whichnormally keeps the bottom plate biased away 12 /14 5 R, 142-5 E; 0/24 C-from the top plate. Power carrying electrical conductors pass through aferrule in the top plate into a tubu- [56] References Cited I lar meansconnected to the top plate. The tubular UNITED STATES PATENTS means hasa flange thereon for movably securing the 1,447,214 3/1923 Kurrus219/208 bottom Plate thereto a manner which enables the 1,519,79012/1924 Manassero 219/208 bottom plate to move longitudinally along Saidtubular 3 5 12/194] Morgan at t 2 205 X means. A tube attached to thetubular means holds 2,389,925 11/1945 Morgan et a1. 219/205 and extendsa heater into the water in the radiator.

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS I The conductors pass through the tubeto the heater. 257,843 3/1928 5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures COMBINEDRADIATOR CAP AND HEATER ASSEMBLY My invention relates to heatingdevices, and more particularly to electric heaters, adaptable forcombination with the radiator cap on automotive vehicles, or the like.

The automobile radiator fluid is normally heated by the heat generatedin the internal combustion engine. There are many times, such as on colddays when it is desirable to speed up the heating process. Accordingly,the prime object of my invention, is to provide a means of suspending anelectrically actuated resistance coil from the radiator cap. The coil isemployed for heating the water in the radiator that forms a part of aninternal combustion engine assembly.

A further object is to provided a device, designed to let the steamescape, if the water in the radiator becomes overheated.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device of the characterdescribed, that is designed to be energized by the battery or otherdirect current, such as, the automobile alternatoror generator, althoughcommercial current is preferred.

Still another object of the invention is to make the heater coilscombinable with the radiator caps of conventional design.

The device is simple in construction, and requires no special mechanicalskill for its manipulation.

A preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a combined radiatorcap and heater assembly wherein the radiator cap is made up of a topplate secured to the upper opening around the radiator spout. A ferrulein the top plate enables passage therethrough of electrical conductors.Attached to the top plate is a tubular member which receives theelectrical conductors for passage therethrough. The bottom of thetubular member is flanged. A bottom plate is movably secured to thetubular member by the flange and is biased-away from the top plate by aspring. The bottom plate normally seals the spout of the radiator. Atube is attached to the tubular member and holds an electrical heatingdevice in the radiator water. The conductors extend through the tube tothe heating device.

Other and further objects of my invention will become more apparent asthe description proceeds when taken in conjunction with the drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the entire assembled angular retaininghooks l1, and outwardly extending ear members 12 (see FIG. 1). The capis designed for selective engagement with the radiator spout 13, shownin phantom in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The cap 10 is further provided with a centrally dis- The tubular member16 has an outwardly extending flange 17 at the bottom thereof. Theflange 17 engages posed ferrule 14, supporting a plate 15. In addition,a

a sealing plate 18. The plate 18 is equipped with a washer 19, which maybe constructed of rubber or the like, that cotacts a ridge 20, forming apart of the spout l3.

A compression spring 21 is disposed around the ferrule 14 between thebottom of the plate 15 and the upper surface of the plate 18. The springis designed to keep the washer sealing in seali engagement with theridge 20 under normal conditions.

As insulated wire of standard type shown as 22, passes through theferrule 14, the tubular member I6 and a tube 23. The tube 23 engages themember 16 at 24. The tube 23 may be of any desired length to besubmerged in the liquid, or water within the radiator, (not shown). Thetube 23 supports a resistance coil 25, which may be of any conventionaldesign, and employed to heat the water or liquid within the radiators.When the water in the radiator becomes overheated, the plate 18 israised as shown at 2 in FIG. 3, against the pressure of the spring 21,to permit the steam or the like-to escape from the radiator to returnthe pressure to normal without damaging the radiator.

From the above description it will be become apparent that the device isdesigned to perform the function for which it is intended. It may beenergized either by a battery or by the alternator. Although I haveshown a specific construction and arrangement of the parts and featuresconstituting my invention, I am fully cognizant of the fact that manychanges may be made without affecting the operativeness of the device,and I reserve the rights to make such changes, without departing fromthe spirit of my invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent in the United States,

l. A heating device for automotive radiators, said radiators havingradiator cap means, such heating device comprising an electrical heatingelement, said electrical heating element combined with and supportedfrom said cap means,

said radiator cap means comprising a top plate for attaching to the rimof the'radiator opening,

a bottom sealing plate resiliently biased away from said top plate,

tubular means attached to said top plate and extending downwardly,

said bottom sealing plate being slidably supported by said tubular meansfor movement longitudinally thereto, I

tube means attached to the bottom of said tubular means and extendingdownwardly therefrom,

said heating element being affixed in said tube means, and

conductor means extending through said top plate and said tubular meansinto said tube means to said heating element whereby said heatingelement extends into the water in the radiator 2. The heating device ofclaim I wherein said top plate comprises ferrule means at the topthereof enabling said'insulated conductor means to extend from abovesaid top plate to said heating element, and

wherein said tube means is threadingly engaged to the bottom of saidtubular means.

3. A heating device for automotive radiators,

said heating device comprising an electrical heating element,

radiator cap means,

tube means for attaching said heating element in dependent fashion fromsaid radiator cap means,

said heating element being affixed to said tube means which issufficiently long to extend into the water in the radiator,

ferrule means at the top of said radiator cap means,

and

means for energizing said heating element extending through saidradiator cap and comprising insulated wire means coming through saidferrule means,

said radiator cap comprising a top plate attached to and surroundingsaid ferrule means,

a tubular member attached to said top plate,

said tube means being attached to the bottom of said tubular member withsaid insulated wire means running through said tubular member and saidtube means to said heating element,

4v a bottom sealing plate slidably secured to the lower end of saidtubular member for movement longitudinally thereof, said tubular memberhaving flange means at the bottom thereof for limiting the movement ofsaid bottom sealing plate, and means for biasing said bottom sealingplate away from said top plate to sealingly engage the throat of thespout of the radiator.

4. The heating device of claim 3 wherein said means for biasing saidbottom sealing plate comprises compression spring means mounted aroundsaid tubular member and extending from said top plate to said sealingplate, and

said compression spring being sufficiently resilient to compress andunseal said radiator at a predetermined pressure as a safety means forprotecting against overheating said radiator.

5. The heating device of claim 4 wherein said heating element comprisesa heating coil.

l= l l l UNITED STATES mTEN -c cE CERTEltICATE OF (IQRREQTKON Patent No.v 3,824,370 Dated Julv 16.} 19%- T InventotlIs) JOSE p11 A Kucera .It iscertified that errbr appears in the above-identified patent and thatsaid Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Col. '1, line 16 Befcre "a" (first occurrence) change. "provided" to-"'pr0vide M Col. 2 line 5' I After 'that" 'change""c0tact s."

to contacts e 0 t After "washer" insert "19 in" and before "engagement"omit "seaif' Signed and sealed this 24th day of December 1974.

(SEAL) Attest:

McCOY M. GIBSON JR. C. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner ofPatents UNITED s12 TE anew-017mm CERTEFICATE OF (IQRREiJTiGN Patent No.3,824,370 Da ed Julv 16., 1974- Inventor'iIs) Joseph A Kucera It iscertified that err or appears in the abo--re-identiiedpatent and thatsaid Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Col. 1, lirie l6 Q Befcre a"" (first occurrence) change. l rox zided toprovide M Col. 2, line 5' I a After "that" change""cotactsf' to contactswe line 10 Afte i "X AIaShG I I LH SeIt "19 in? and before "'engagement"omit seali'" Signed and sealed this 24th day of December 974.

(SEAL) Attest:

MCCOY GIBSON JR. a c. r-mRsHALL DANN Arresting Officer Commissioner ofPatents

1. A heating device for automotive radiators, said radiators havingradiator cap means, such heating device comprising an electrical heatingelement, said electrical heating element combined with and supportedfrom said cap means, said radiator cap means comprising a top plate forattaching to the rim of the radiator opening, a bottom sealing plateresiliently biased away from said top plate, tubular means attached tosaid top plate and extending downwardly, said bottom sealing plate beingslidably supported by said tubular means for movement longitudinallythereto, tube means attached to the bottom of said tubular means andextending downwardly therefrom, said heating element being affixed insaid tube means, and conductor means extending through said top plateand said tubular means into said tube means to said heating elementwhereby said heating element extends into the water in the radiator 2.The heating device of claim 1 wherein said top plate comprises ferrulemeans at the top thereof enabling said insulated conductor means toextend from above said top plate to said heating element, and whereinsaid tube means is threadingly engaged to the bottom of said tubularmeans.
 3. A heating device for automotive radiators, said heating devicecomprising an electrical heating element, radiator cap means, tube meansfor attaching said heating element in dependent fashion from saidradiator cap means, said heating element being affixed to said tubemeans which is sufficiently long to extend into the water in theradiator, ferrule means at the top of said radiator cap means, and meansfor energizing said heating element extending through said radiator capand comprising insulated wire means coming through said ferrule means,said radiator cap comprising a top plate attached to and surroundingsaid ferrule means, a tubular member attached to said top plate, saidtube means being attached to the bottom of said tubular member with saidinsulated wire means running through said tubular member and said tubemeans to said heating element, a bottom sealing plate slidably securedto the lower end of said tubular member for movement longitudinallythereof, said tubular member having flange means at the bottom thereoffor limiting the movement of said bottom sealing plate, and means forbiasing said bottom sealing plate away from said top plate to sealinglyengage the throat of the spout of the radiator.
 4. The heating device ofclaim 3 wherein said means for biasing said bottom sealing platecomprises compression spring means mounted around said tubular memberand extending from said top plate to said sealing plate, and saidcompression spring being sufficiently resilient to compress and unsealsaid radiator at a predetermined pressure as a safety means forprotecting against overheating said radiator.
 5. The heating device ofclaim 4 wherein said heating element comprises a heating coil.